US Peace Corps volunteers are returning to Tonga as part of the services that was promised with the establishment of the new US Embassy in Nuku’alofa. A group of 9 volunteers have arrived in Nuku’alofa last week, and they will be working mostly in education.
Even though the Peace Corps volunteers started work in Tonga in the 1960s, the volunteers were evacuated and no new ones sent in the last 3 years because of Covid and other natural disasters that incurred travel restrictions.
Last year the United States announced they will open two new embassies in the Pacific – in Kiribati and Tonga. This is seen as part of a balancing US action because of the growing significant involvement of China with Pacific Island nations.